International master Husbands takes July Central Bank of Barbados Blitz chess event

International master Orlando Husbands returned to his winning ways on the chess board as he dominate the 2023 Central Bank of Barbados (CBB) July Blitz Championship held over the last weekend at the Coles Building, Bay Street, Bridgetown.

Blitz chess is akin to T-20 cricket where the action is fast paced and in this event each player had three minutes with a two – second increment per move to complete their games and Husbands wasted no time in defeating all the nine opponents that he faced to convincingly win the event with 9 points, a point ahead of the second place finisher Kemp Lynch.

Husbands struck the front of the field at round 4, when he defeated the current Central Bank governor and former national player Dr, Kevin Greenidge in a match full of verbal bravado and from then, it was a matter of Husbands keeping his foot on the gas until the end of the tournament.

Kemp Lynch finished a strong second on 8 points, having only lost a single game to the overall winner, Husbands. He would have been proud of his performance as he took some higher rated scalps like Greenidge and FIDE master Dr. Philip Corbin.
Dr. Corbin came a creditable third with 6 points from his 9 matches after a long layoff from active over the board competition. Top rated junior player Hannah Wilson scored 5 ½ points to be the top female performer in the event in fourth spot.

Adam Roachford and Louis Wilson scored 5 points to finish 5th and 6th respectively, with Roachford winning the Under 1400 rating prize, while Wilson captured the 1401 – 1600 rating prize.
The event was a fast paced, fun fill event which allowed the players to show their chess playing skills under the gracious auspices of the sponsor Central Bank of Barbados.